EVIDENCE-BASED LP

Taking It to the Next Level

“Innovate, collaborate, evaluate. Let’s take it to the next level.” That’s what the fourteen LPRC board of advisor (BOA) members have declared for the members of the Loss Prevention Research Council (LPRC) and its research team. To that end, the advisors are driving that mandate by guiding and staffing a set of working groups and action teams.

Groups and Teams

The BOA and staff determined the best way to provide specific problem and solution areas focus and actionable results is by establishing ongoing working groups and action teams. Working groups innovate and field evaluate current and emerging procedures and technologies that apply across retailer type, while action teams integrate similar retailers to systematically attack common problems.

Both groups and teams combine retailer, solution partner, and high-risk product manufacturer networking and brainstorming with the LPRC and University of Florida research teams to produce validated results.

This following list of objectives, leaders, and members is dramatically evolving, but current as this article was submitted.

Packaging Innovation Working Group

Objectives—Develop and test protective packaging and warning message innovations in multiple retail formats with a variety of products Leader—John Voytilla, OfficeMax Co-Leaders—Jeff Kellogg, MWV; Shannon Hunter,

OfficeMax; and Josh Matinger, Toys/Babies“R”Us Current Members—Lowe’s, The Home Depot, CVS, Rite

Aid, Walgreen’s, OfficeMax, Toys“R”Us, and MWV

Predictive Analytics Working Group

Objectives—Identify and measure key crime and loss factors for directed action; determine business applications for the predictive model and educate the group on statistical approaches to help them better understand how to interpret the workbook Leader—Carlos Bacelis, Sears Holdings Co-Leaders—Dan Romanic, Big Lots; Dave DiSilva, eBay; and Bob DiLonardo (ROI expert) Current Members—Big Lots, Publix, Sears, CAP Index,

The Retail Equation, Wegman’s, Rite Aid, Cabela’s,

Ferguson, Nike, Sterling Jewelers, and Jewel-Osco

Benefit Denial Working Group

Objectives—Innovate and field test benefit-denial technologies and techniques across retailer types and product categories; work toward authorization testing; increase benefit denial concept exposure via mass communications Leader—Tim Fisher, Best Buy Co-Leaders—Jeff Fulmer, Barnes & Noble; and Adam Estep, Big Lots Current Members—Sears, Best Buy, Kroger, Lowe’s,

Walmart, Big Lots, DiSa, and Proteqt

Dr. Hayes is director of the Loss Prevention Research Council and coordinator of the Loss Prevention Research Team at the University of Florida. He can be reached at 321-303-6193 or via email at rhayes@lpresearch.org. © 2013 Loss Prevention Research Council

Video Analytics Working Group

Objectives—Determine group’s video analytics capabilities, needs, and requirements both current and future; focus on LP and non-LP behavioral and pattern analytics, facial identification, and other forensic analytics Leader—Ahmad Lightfoot, T.J. Maxx Co-Leaders—Fred Becker, Bloomingdales; and

Brad Buckley, Sears Holdings Current Members—Big Lots, Sears, Kmart, T.J. Maxx,

Toys“R”Us, Bloomingdales, Verint, 3VR, i3

International, and Axis Communications

Supply-Chain Protection Working Group

Objectives—R&D to enhance distribution center, cargo/transport, delivery protection, accuracy, efficiency, and safety Leader—Kevin Taparausky, Marmaxx Co-Leaders—Willson Burggraff, Sears; Mike Combs, The Home

Depot; Steve Main, Kroger; and Jeff Silvia, Big Lots Current Members—Marmaxx, Sears, The Home Depot,

AutoZone, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and Big Lots

Digital Journey Working Group (newly forming)

Objectives—Use R&D to innovate and evaluate protection for key areas, including online selling, mobile POS, RFID/

IP cameras/alarms, digital/remote/2-way reporting/auditing, virtual working spaces, and store layout and design Leader—Don Burkett, Sears Holdings Co-Leaders—TBA Current Members—TBA

Organized Retail Crime Working Group (newly forming)

Objectives—Study and recommend procedural and technological ORC theft and fencing control enhancements across retailer and product types Leader—TBA Co-Leader—Deanna Bonachea, Big Lots Current Members—TBA

Sporting Goods Action Team

Objectives—Innovate and evaluate high-risk product protection for sporting goods sector